Exporting Your Horse

by Holly Shearman

Whether you are off for a race in Dubai, eventing in Kentucky or simply moving home to France, we can help you every step of the way with our helpful guide of what you will need to do.

First of all you need to consider whether you will be flying, using the train or transporting your horse by water and contact some transportation companies for quotes. They should also be able to offer additional guidance on procedures and preparation. Also check your horse insurance will cover the trip and that your transporter is properly covered.

If competing, check with your competition federation such as the FEI on rules surrounding vaccines and immunizations and permitted drugs as well as the need for quarantine which varies from country to country.

Your destination country’s government website should also hold some helpful information on what documentation your horse will need to have traveling with it and when it arrives.

Always keep in mind timings, these can be very strict and difficult to adhere to if you do not prepare well in advance. Some vaccines need to be administered months in advance for example and quarantine can also be time consuming and costly. If you are competing you will need to also think of your horses fitness and recovery time.

For travel outside of the EU every country is different but a lot more notice is often needed as vaccinations, bloods and/or swabs and other treatments are needed with a specific time frame – your export company should be able to liaise with us and arrange these for you to ensure it is done correctly as even if your horse is aloud out of the UK without the correct testing and documentation it may not be allowed into its destination.

If you are unsure of the veterinary requirements, why not give us a call and see if we can assist. We often assist with the transportation of horses around the world and would be happy to help.